Apocalypse Explained, volume 1 - Swedenborg Foundation

APOCALYPSE EXPLAINED 387He swore unto Jehovah, I will not give sleep to mine eyes until Ifind out a place for Jehovah, habitations for the mighty One of Jacob.Lo, we have heard of it at Ephrathah [Bethlehem]. We will come intoHis habitations, we will worship at His footstool (verses 2, 4–7).[6] That David might represent the Lord in respect to Divinetruth, the Lord was willing to be born of the house of David, andalso to be called “the Son of David,” “his Root and Offspring,” also“the Root of Jesse.” But when the Lord put off the human from themother, and put on the Human from the Father, which is theDivine Human, He was no longer David’s son. This is meant bythe Lord’s words to the Pharisees:Jesus said to the Pharisees, How does it seem to you respectingChrist? whose Son is He? They said unto Him, David’s. He said untothem, How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lordsaid unto my Lord, Sit thou at My right hand, until I place thineenemies as a stool of thy feet? If David then calleth Him Lord, how isHe his Son (Matt. 22:42–45; Luke 20:41–44).That the Lord glorified His Human, that is, put off the humanfrom the mother, and put on a Human from the Father, which isthe Divine Human, see in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem (n.293-295, 298–310). For this reason He was not David’s son, as Hewas not the son of Mary, whom therefore He did not call Hismother, but “woman” (Matt. 12:46–49; Mark. 3:31 to the end;Luke 8:19–21; John 2:4; 19:25, 26). The like is meant by “the keyof Peter,” as by “the key of David,” namely, that the Lord has allpower, and that He has this power through His Divine truth, aswill be seen in the article that now follows.206. He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no oneopeneth, signifies power to admit into heaven all who are in thefaith of charity, and to remove from heaven all who are not. This isevident front the signification of “that openeth and no oneshutteth,” as being, in reference to the Lord, to admit into heaven(of which presently); and from the signification of “and shuttethand no one openeth,” as being to remove from heaven. The formermeans to admit into heaven, and the latter to remove from heaven,because the Lord alone opens heaven to those who are admitted.